Fleur d'Orleans Finish For WIP Wednesday 03.07.2018

I really loved stitching on this piece. It went very, very quick and I thoroughly enjoyed the process of stitching it. I am really happy that I decided to bite the bullet and use the Kreinik cord in #102C Vatican Gold instead of the Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in 521. The delicate vermeil coloring adds to the richness of the silks that were used. I think this is another chart that I am going to keep as opposed to passing on or selling outright. I can see stitching this in many different colorways. 

Well, on with the show! 

Design: Fleur d'Orleans

Designer: Tracy Horner of Ink Circles

Fabric Used: 36 count smokey white Edinburgh linen by Zweigart

Fibers Used: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in 234 and 1326. Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Old Crow. Kreinik cord in #102C Vatican Gold. 

Stitchers' Notes: Began Monday, February 26, 2018. Converted called for silks to in house materials. Finished Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Project #4 for 2018.

Time for me to be off. I need to clean up my stitching area and then choose another project to either begin or pick back up again. 

I hope everyone is having a great week. Happy stitching!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

WIP Wednesday Ink Circles Edition

I was speaking to a friend of mine the other day and I was waffling over whether to pick up a UFO, start something else, or pick a project that needed some attention. I eventually settled on this current WIP. I have had the chart since it's initial release in 2010 and I am just now getting around to it. Proof positive that while I may now begin new stash right away, I eventually will! :D

At any rate, here is my WIP for WIP Wednesday! 

Design: Fleur d'Orleans

Designer: Tracy Horner of Ink Circles

Fabric Used: 36 count smokey white Edinburgh linen by Zweigart

Fibers Used: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in 234, 521, and 1326. Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Old Crow. 

Stitchers' Notes: Began Monday, February 26, 2018. Converted called for silks to in house materials. 

Time for me to be off. I hope everyone is having a great week. Happy stitching!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Día de Muertos

I hope everyone out there in Blogland had a Happy Halloween and a good start to their Dia de Muertos. It was quiet here, but that's pretty much the way we like it. Not too many tick or treaters in an apartment building, but that's the way things go. 

I managed to get this guy stitching up in a trice yesterday. I really do love the colors in it. This is a really good Halloween book to have and I am lucky enough to own it. I am really looking forward to stitching more out of this book. 

Design: Boo! 

Designer:  Blackbird Designs

Fabric: 28 count opalescent Cashel linen in Fog by Picture This Plus

Fibers Used: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in Noir, 234, 521, 633,  and 1336.

Stitchers' Notes:  One day start and finish on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Taken from the Trix or Treat booklet. Booklet is now OOP and HTF, as far as I know. 

Well, I must be off. Lots to do today. I hope everyone is having a great week.

Happy stitching!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

2010 Fright Night Finish

My latest finish is not the project that I recently started. I haven't been feeling all that hot due to the wildfires and as consequence, could not concentrate on such a dark fabric. I chose instead to stitch something else on a light colored fabric. The project should have taken no more than a week, however, I managed to stretch it out to three weeks until completion. These things happen I suppose. At least I have another finish for the year, which brings the total to 26 finishes for the year. Not exactly huge numbers, but then again, there has been a lot going on this past year. :)

At any rate, on with the show!

Design: 2010 Fright Night Quaker Halloween

Designer: Sandra Dering for SanMan Originals 

Fabric: 28 count Cashel linen in Fog by Picture This Plus

Fibers Used: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in Noir, 234, 521, 633,  and 1336.

Accoutrements: Mill Hill beads in #00167 Christmas Green and #02033 Brilliant Orange. Toho 11/0 glass seed beads 1951-48 High Metallic Purple

Stitchers' Notes: Created for the members of the message board for the 2010 Fright Night festivities. Unfortunately, this chart is not for sale or trade as it is a .pdf file. 

I must be off. I hope everyone had a great weekend. 

Happy stitching!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

A Quick SMO Finish And A New Start

I managed to start and finish this guy up in one day. This is a really, really old design of Sandy's, 2005 to be precise. What I cannot remember is if this was a part of the Fright Night festivities or if this was just a random Halloween freebie. I suppose it doesn't matter in the long run, however, I do like to be precise in these things. 

I have wanted to stitch this guy up for a long, long time now, however, I just never got around to it. I'm glad I did, because it is such a fun little project. Try as hard as I might, I could not photograph this piece correctly. The fabric is a very pale purple and unfortunately, it appears as gray. Even on a sunny day! Ah, well. These things happen, yes?

Design: Creepy

Designer: Sandra Dering for SanMan Originals 

Fabric: Picture This Plus 28 count cashel linen in Sprite (DMC 3743 Variegated) 

Fibers: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in Mode, Noir, 234 and 1336. Kreinik #4 001 silver braid. 

Accoutrement: Mill Hill beads in #00167 Christmas Green. 

Stitchers' Notes: This is a MEMBER ONLY freebie for the 2005 Halloween festivities of the SanMan Originals Message Board. It is not for sale or trade! Started and finished on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.

My new start is also another halloween related SanMan Originals project. If I recall correctly, this was a Secret Shop purchase in 2011. I tried to resist stitching it on the fabric that I chose, as that piece was earmarked for another project. That is, until I realized, that I would not be getting to that project any time soon. Then I figured, there are a few other projects that I wish to use that fabric for, and when I get around to the intended project (Sacre Coeur by Jools Line of Long Dog Samplers, for the curious), I will just order another piece of fabric. :)

Well, at any rate, here is my start so far: 

Design: Ghost White Pumpkin

Designer: Sandra Dering for SanMan Originals 

Fabric: Picture This Plus 28 count cashel linen in Gothic

Fibers: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in 2143, 3441, 3842, and 4534. Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Icing and Shepherd's Pasture.  

Stitchers' Notes: This is a 2011 Secret Shop purchase. As it is a .pdf file, unfortunately it is not for sale or trade. Began Tuesday, September 12, 2017. 

Well, I must be off. I hope everyone is having a great week so far. Happy stitching!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

First Day Of Summer Finish

And my first finish in over a month. I am still currently in a 'Stitch when you feel like it' mode. I have had this happen before, and I am confident that this too shall pass. 

I have also managed to get the Summer Glory heart, which was designed by Linda Culp Calhoun for Leisure Arts magazine framed. I love the way that it turned out:

It is now hanging up in a place of pride in the hallway. I smile every time I pass it. :)


And now, onto my latest finish. I really enjoyed stitching this piece. I also highly enjoyed playing around with the colors. It really does feel like a summer piece, however, the saying is also a good reminder. 

At any rate, here is my latest offering:

Design: Winds of Change

Designer: Vicki Hastings of The Cross Eyed Cricket 

Fabric Used: Unknown 32 count Belfast linen. (Although, I suspect that it is Summer Khaki by Zweigart). 

Fibers Used:  Au Ver À Soie  Soie d'Alger in 1836, 2243, and 4221. Caron Collection Waterlilies in #181 Ocean Breeze (Dye Lot #CS201613). Rainbow Gallery Splendor 12 ply silk floss in S802 and S820. 

Stitchers' Notes: Former freebie obtained from LNS. Wording states "When the winds of change blow, Adjust your sails". 

Time for me to be off. I need to clean up both the remnants of stitching and breakfast and get the day started. I hope everyone is having a great week!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

May 19, 2017 Edition Of Finish Friday

I managed to get this guy finished just in time for Memorial Day. Now that summer has decided to make an appearance, I am hoping that my mermaids will come out and play. I would also like to get a few more Americana themed projects completed. 

I picked up this design on the secondary market. It contained the leftover threads and there is enough to stitch this piece at least twice more. This is nice as the design uses both solid and hand dyed silks. Naturally, I made some changes. DH likes how it turned out. I need to see if I cannot find an appropriate frame for this piece. If not, there is always a pillow or no sew finish route that I may take. 

Well, at any rate, here is my latest finish. 

Design: Tiny Flag

Designer: Shepherd's Bush

Fabric Used: 32 count Belfast linen by Silkweaver Fabric in Antique Almond

Fibers Used: Thread Gatherer's Silk n' Colors in Frosted Auburn, In the Burgundy, and Old Lace.  Au Ver À Soie  Soie d'Alger in 1435 and 3424. 

Accoutrements: Mill Hill beads in #03049 Rich Red

Stitchers' Notes: Replaced beads for stitched flowers. Changed 'America' to read as 'We the People'. As the fabric was not included with the kit because it was purchased secondhand, previously purchased fabric from stash was used. 

Time for me to be off. I hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

It's Been Awhile

Happy Saturday to you all! I know it's been a while, almost a month and a half since I last posted. I haven't felt really up to stitching a whole lot. I do not know if it is a combination of stress, fatigue, or just stitching burnout, the end result is the same. I suppose it does not matter a great deal, as I have stitched a grand total of 111 pieces the last two years. That is a great deal of stitching! I have made my unofficial yearly goal of 12 projects, so I am just coasting at this point. Then again too, the weather where we are has been unseasonably chilly. It's quite difficult to get 'into' stitching mermaids and other summer themed projects when the low is almost in the 30's at night in the middle of May! :O

I have tried off and on to stitch, but nothing has 'clicked'. It just felt like going through the motions. I remembered that I had this project that I purchased on the secondary market some time ago. I have seen quite a number of recent finishes of this piece and it looked like it did not take too long to stitch, so I thought I would give it a try. The color combination used is the same one that I used in the Summer In Bloom taken from the book Maria Selby Humphrey - 1831 piece that I finished up a couple of years ago. I really do love the way the colors harmonize together. The funny thing is, I purchased the silks on clearance and only purchased them because I loved the colors and the feel of the silk! :)

At any rate, here is my latest finish. I need to find some nice buttons for the upper right hand corner, but otherwise, it is completed. 

Design: Buttons and Blooms

Designer: Blackbird Designs

Fabric Used: 28 count white linen of unknown manufacturer

Fibers Used: Au Ver a Soie Soie 100/3 Spun Silk in 124, 126, 197, 312, 663, and 705. Kreinik silk serica thread in Light Charcoal, #8073. 

Stitchers' Notes: Substituted called for GAST and WDW threads for in house Au Ver a Soie Soie 100/3 Spun Silk and Kreinik silk serica thread. Shop chart exclusive for Elegant Stitch. Began Friday, May 12, 2017. Finished Saturday, May 13, 2017. Please note that the chart is not for sale/trade. 

Welp, it's time for me to bolt for the door. I hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Spring For Rabbits

My latest finish is a break from my current WIP of the 1855 I Auguste Heidemrieg sampler. I wanted to stitch something Spring related and remembered that I had this freebie in my stash. It is one of those LNS freebies that I managed to pick up from somewhere. This stitched up in no time at all, and I really like the way that it turned out. This piece, like so many others that I have stitched, will likely be a mere bagatelle. I seem to be one of those people who enjoy the process of stitching more than stitching and 'finishing' anything. :)

At any rate, here is my latest finish:

Design: Spring For Rabbits

Designer: The Gentle Art Sampler Threads

Fabric Used: 36 count Edinburgh linen in Antique White

Fibers Used: Au Ver a Soie Soie 100/3 Spun Silk in 124, 197, 312, 561, and 705.

Stitchers' Notes: Substituted called for GAST threads for in house Au Ver a Soie Soie 100/3 Spun Silk. Freebie from LNS purchase. Began Friday, February 10, 2017. Finished Sunday, February 12, 2017. 

Well, I must be off. Tons to do today. I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend! 

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Chicken Noodle Soup For The Stitchers' Soul

Am I the only one that turns to 'comfort stitching' when stressed out? There are certain designer that I find are the stitching equivalent to mac and cheese and meatloaf. Something homey and comforting, like a big bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup that your grandmother or your mom would make when you were feeling low. 

I have several designers that fall into this category. Blackbird Designs is just such a designer. With the advent of fall just around the corner (less than 4 days now!), this piece was just the ticket. I enjoyed the colors and especially getting back to my Legacy  by Picture This Plus, which I dearly love. 

At any rate, I did manage to finish the stitching up on this piece late last night. As consequence, I had to wait until today in order to take pictures, as Mr. Sun was visiting Japan at the time I finished. :) 

The stitching went fairly quickly. I will finish this into a pincushion, whenever I manage to procure a sewing machine. :)

Design: Pumpkin Blossom pincushion (Taken the book Autumn, Loose Feather collection 2011)

Designer: Blackbird Designs

Fabric Used: 32 count Belfast linen in Legacy  by Picture This Plus

Fibers Used: Au Ver À Soie  Soie d'Alger in #4125 Marron (Brown) and #4236 Lion. Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Carrot Cake, Collard Greens, Old Crow, and Pumpkin Carriage.

Stitcher's Notes: Started on Friday, August 26, 2016. Finished on Saturday, August 27, 2016. Design featured on page 8 of the book Autumn, Loose Feather collection 2011 by Blackbird Designs. Left off border.

Time for me to bolt for the door. I need to decide what is next, the Pumpkin Blossom Sewing Box or part of the main design as a scissor fob or more likely, an ornament. 

I hope everyone is having a great weekend and I wish you all a happy week ahead! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

The Last Finish For July 2016

This tiny little finish is courtesy of the Blackbird Designs Lending Library. It arrived in the mail the other day, and I was anxious to get to it. Although we have up to eight weeks to finish a project, I get antsy after about a week or so. I don't want anyone thinking I've made off with their chart, ya know? :)

As is my custom, the main design was nice, but the smaller project attached to it appealed to me more. I have some fabrics that I can pair with this to make it an actual pincushion. I am toying with the idea of hand dying my own rickrack trim for this project, but if I manage to find something that looks better than the picture in my head, I will certainly use that instead. :)

At any rate, here is my latest effort:

Design: Patchwork Pinkeep

Designer: Blackbird Designs

Fabric Used: 36 count linen by Hand Dyed Fibers in Earth Stars-5211 (equivalent to DMC 822)

Fibers Used: Au Ver a Soie Soie 100/3 Spun Silk in 004, 124, 126, 197, 312, and 705.

Stitcher's Notes: Stitched one strand of floss over two fabric threads. Design created exclusively for the Silver Needle Stitching Club. Chart on loan from Patricia G of the Blackbird Designs Lending Library Facebook Group. Replaced the cotton embroidery floss for silks. Substituted cross stitch for satin stitch on the inside of the leaves. 

I had best be off. I hope everyone had a great weekend and I wish everyone an awesome week!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Tiny Fall Finish

I really lollygagged on this one. It should have taken all of a day at most, however, here I am, over a week later and it's finally finished. This week was a wee bit busy, and to be honest, I wasn't feeling all that up to scratch. I am hoping that this changes, as I have many projects that I wish to work on. This also includes the loaner chart from the Blackbird Designs Lending Library. It arrived in the mail and I really do need to get to it. 

I love the way this one turned out. It's a seasonal freebie and I can see stitching this as a Halloween tree as well. Once I finish with the loaner chart from the Blackbird Designs Lending Library, I may do just that!

At any rate, here is my humble offering:

Design: L'Arbre d'Automne

Designer: Jardin Privé 

Fabric Used: 36 count linen by Hand Dyed Fibers in Earth Stars-5213

Fibers Used: Au Ver À Soie  Soie d'Alger in 4126. Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Carrot Cake, Cinnamon Stick, Cranberry, and Old Crow.

Stitchers Notes: Freebie may be found here. Substituted called for DMC floss for silks of my own choosing. Will be stitching this again as a Halloween tree. 

Well, I had best be off. Tons to do today and I need to get myself in gear here. :)

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C.